The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-10-01
BrOadDrim's New york Letter.

figure In our local politics. On'y Two monuhS
ago gave him an extended and not very
flattel ing notice, for then l did not dream
that the end was quite so near. Mike Cregan
was one of the natural results of our system
of municipal politics, n system which has
debauched and corrupted our city govern
ment till it seems as If fire alone could
purify it. Mr. Cregan's lot was cast in the
most aristocratic district of New York, but
by means of band of well drilled hireings
and heelers he succeeded in making his
influence felt in every portion of the city,
and it is not beyond question that his
treahery 10 his party absolutely changed
the Presidency of the United States at the
last election. Among politicians generally
IL was well understood that nothing could
be done in Mike Cregan's district without
money, and that money had always to be
placed in Mike Cregan's hands. He trrst-
ed no lieutenant in money matters; what
ever dividing was to be done was done by
him in person, and it was always under
stood that faithful services would be well
paid for, All offices had money value
with him, and if the candidates of his own
party did not pay him he was ready on the
instant to march his forces right into the
enemys camp. 1t was his frequent declar-
ation-If you want votes you've got to show
up with yer cash. II is wonderful that
such person could ever have got a foot
hold in any respectable community, but
thepall was borne by one of the foremost law
yers and statesmen in the land, and ulogy
was pronounced on his virtues by one of
the judges of our Courts.
What is there that is SO terribly ruinous
in political defeat? John Kelly, man
stalwart and hale, after his defeat at Chic
ago never raised his head. For fifteen
years he had kept the most turbulent and
ungovernable political organization in the
United States practically at his feet. Up
to his final defeat no Democratic leader
could successfully withstand him, yet in a
few months this strong man because an
utter and hopelerst ruin. Hubert o. Thomp-
son was another of our great local political
leaders. He made and unmade men; he
1 u IL.
took the best Office in. the city himself and
parcelled the others out among his hench-
men as If the revenues of this great city
were part of his private estate. We collect
in taxes each year not far from forty mill
ions of dollars, and oyer a large part of
this vast sum, directly or indirectly, Mr..
Hurbert o. Thompson assumed almost alb
solute control.
II was during his censorship that the
Doodle aldermen, now immortal in infamy,
were elected, and even that disgraceful THEY
ing gang was sarcely bad enough TO rouse
New York from its lethargy. When HUI
bert o. Thompson was driven from public
office he still had power enough among the
Doodle aldermen to have the naming of his
successor, and political tramp was picked
up whose name had never been heard in
New York, and whose unsavory history al
last dragged him into the mire and com
PEELED his abandonment of his office.
This was the man to whom New York en-
, trusted the expenditure of ten of the fort,
millions which she collects, and whose vot,
was potential in the expenditure of the fift,
millions which will be expended on th,
new aqueduct. With men seeking vote
, when millions upon millions were at stak,
r the services of a politician of Cregan's stril
was of inestimable yalue He had at hi
) back well drilled army who obeyed hIn
without question, knowing that sooner o
: later the reward would come. In our las
election Mr.. Thorndyke Rice was the Re
: publican nominee for Congress in Cregan
4 district, and he was opposed by Genera
Spinola, Tammany Brave, and a truste,
e lieutenant of John Kelly's. With any
e thing like fair show Mr.. Rice would hav
!. been elected by handsome majority. MI
n Cregan got seven hundred dollars of Mr.
e Rice's money, and when he found he coul
[ get no more sold out to the democratic can
= didate and General Spinola was elected.
r The infamous nature of the transaction
/ and the positive proofs of treachery mad
|, the Republican County Committee resolves
Il TO getrid of Mike Cregan and his heelers
4, The trial was an exciting one and, eonsci
ous of his power, Mike Cregan defied tn
committee. At last he was expelled an
/ then he fell back on the voters of his district
u and by manipulating the primary h
II won by nine votes; the evidence OF frau
d was again so fragrant that the election wa
5, thrown out and Cregan realized that hi
power was broken forever, he took to drin
n ard last week died suddenly a ruined mar
3 II is useless TO attempt anything like syn
ST pathy for such person or such life. Fl
s. influence, whatever he had, Was evil. TheI
g. can be no greater crime against liberty tina
IS TO debauch the ballet-box, and corrupt I'll
e, voter, and that Mike Cregan did constant
50 and persistently, and to these crimes al
lr due whatever prominence he had in OF
90 politics. There can be no better eydenC
In OF his treachery than that he prOfessedly
es Republican, should be able in this owe
ir whelminglv Democratic city TO hold a Il
In cratiye Office for twelve consecutive year
E which hundreds of Democrats would ha,
an been exceedingly willing TO ill. But Il
or man is dead, and Notwithstanding n
It. hundreds and thousands of dollars whie
e. kpassed through his hands in the shape
n political blaekmail and political plunder, l
ho died almost penniless, without a hom
or estranged from his family; the men WI
n followed him to his his last resting pla,
" having profited some time OF other by h
en- political tactics His death is not withol
or a moral. He had great energy, immeni
at will power and remarkable control oy
ID men. He made his enemies fear him, bl
.ic he bound his friends to him by person
ck obligation. With good character and q
at honest purpose he might haYe achieved a
re honorable position in society; as il is /
IT. sinks into oblivion, or if remembered at a
or II win be as one who sowed the wind al
ne reaped the Whirlwind.